Space Shuttles
Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia lifted off from Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on
April 12, 1981, at 6 a.m. CST (12:00 GMT) to begin the first shuttle
mission, STS-1.
Mission Objectives
The primary mission objectives for STS-1
were to check out all the systems on the
space shuttle, accomplish a safe ascent into
orbit and to return to Earth for a safe landing.
All of these objectives were met
successfully.The main payload carried on STS-1 was a
Development Flight Instrumentation package,
which contained sensors and measuring
devices to record orbiter performance and the
stresses that occurred during launch,
ascent, orbital flight, descent and landing.
Postflight inspection of Columbia revealed that an
overpressure wave,which occurred when the solid rocket
boosters ignited, resulted in theloss of 16 heat shield
tiles and damage to 148 others.
Columbia and its crew landed at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on April
14, 1981, at 12:20 p.m. CST (18:20 GMT)
Mission Patches from the Past
Future Planned Missions for 2002
| Mission Number |
Target Launch Date |
Orbiter |
Flight Number |
Landing Destination/Date |
Mission Duration |
Number of Crew |
| STS-110 |
April 4th 2002 |
Atlantis |
25 |
KSC April 15th |
11 Days |
7 Members |
| STS-111 |
May 6th 2002 |
Endeavour |
18 |
KSC May 17th |
11 days |
7 members |
| STS-107 |
July 11th 2002 |
Columbia |
28 |
KSC July 27th |
16 days |
7 members |
| STS-112 |
August 15th 2002 |
Atlantis |
26 |
KSC August 25th |
10 days |
6 Members |
| STS-113 |
September 19th 2002 |
Endeavour |
19 |
KSC September 29th |
10 days |
7 Members |
| STS-114 |
January 16th 2003 |
Atlantis |
27 |
KSC January 27th |
11 days |
7 Members |
| STS-115 |
April 10th 2003 |
Endeavour |
20 |
KSC April 20th |
10 Days |
6 Members |
| STS-116 |
May 30th 2003 |
Atlantis |
28 |
KSC June 9th |
10 days |
7 Members |